Arkansas priest to lead diocese in Shreveport

Msgr. Francis I. Malone has been pastor of Christ the King Church for 18 years

Published: November 19, 2019

Malea Hargett

Msgr. Francis I. Malone, pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock, leads the All Souls Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery Nov. 2. He has been named the bishop of Shreveport, La.

Malea Hargett

Msgr. Francis I. Malone, pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock, leads the All Souls Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery Nov. 2. He has been named the bishop of Shreveport, La.

Editor's note: This is a developing story that will be updated.

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Pope Francis has appointed Msgr. Francis Malone, a pastor and the chancellor for ecclesial affairs in the Diocese of Little Rock, to be the bishop of Shreveport, La.

Bishop-designate Malone, 69, has held the post of chancellor since 2008. He also is pastor of Christ the King Parish in Little Rock. In Shreveport, he succeeds Bishop Michael G. Duca, now head of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, La., where he was installed Aug. 24, 2018.

The appointment was announced in Washington Nov. 19 by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States. The Diocese of Shreveport is in the state of Louisiana and has a total population of 812,200 of which 41,335 are Catholic.

Bishop-designate Malone is in Shreveport on Tuesday morning for the official announcement. The ordination and installation Mass will take place at 2 p.m., Jan. 28, 2020 in the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans in Shreveport.

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